Tacoma Science and Math Institute (also known as SAMi), is a public high school in the Tacoma Public Schools district. It is located in Metro Parks Tacoma in Tacoma, Washington. The school offers an integrated inquiry-based curriculum for students in grades 9-12 that combines the arts, science, math, and environmental and marine studies. It operates in partnership with local organizations, including the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium as well as local universities. SAMi also operates in partnership with other local schools, including its sister schools Tacoma School of the Arts (SOTA) and Industrial Design Engineering and Art (iDEA). History and facilities SAMi was started in the Fall of 2009, when they opened their doors to the first freshman class (of 2013). The school expanded by adding one grade per year and as of 2012 offered all four high school grades (freshman, sophomore, junior and senior) in its program. In 2012-2013 the school began accepting Grade 8 students for the graduating class of 2017. The school began with nine portable classrooms located near the Pt. Defiance boat trailer parking lot, in front of the parks maintenance and greenhouse facility, to the south of the Ferry Dock, the Tacoma Yacht Club, and Anthony's Diner. In the summer of 2015, the portable classrooms were moved to Pt. Defiance's Camp Six, the former site of a logging museum. The old location of SAMi has since been dug out during Tacoma's Destination Point Defiance renovation process. Since its inception the school has been seeking to expand the effective area of the campus into the park and use buildings and structures in the park as classrooms. In 2009-2010 the school was granted access to the parks greenhouses for a plant biology class, which continued until the demolishing of the greenhouses in 2016. In the 2010–2011 school year regular access was granted to the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, the Pagoda and the historical Lodge. It also holds its Outdoor Education class in the areas around the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum. SAMi was restricted from using the pagoda after an arsonist set it on fire on April 15, 2011. The building sustained significant damage and the arsonist is now in custody. The restored and renovated pagoda is still used by SAMi for classes. In the February 2013 bond election, voters approved funding for a new permanent facility for the school adjacent to the Point Defiance Zoo